Forrest County candidates react to Primary Election results

FORREST COUNTY, Miss. (WDAM) - One of the hottest races in Forrest County during Tuesday’s elections was the Forrest County Tax Collector’s race.

In the GOP Primary, David Hogan and Zac Howell will be in the run-off elections in a few weeks.

Hogan has served on the Forrest County Board of Supervisors for the past 16 years, 14 of those as President, and Howell has worked at the Forrest County Tax Office for over four years now.

“I’m so proud to have made the run-off. I thank the forest county taxpayers,” Hogan said. “There were 3 of us candidates, very well qualified, and to be in the top 2 now and to be going into a run-off on Aug. 29, we’re very proud of that and hopefully we’ll be successful.”

Howell says that he is hoping for a good outcome in November.

“So, three-man race, I think that it could have been any number of combinations, any of us could have won it outright, any of us could have made the runoff,” Howell said. “I’m just thankful for the voters who came out and supported me.”

Another race that caught the eyes of many was the Forrest County Coroner’s race where Lisa Klem came out as the winner for the Republican Primary.

Klem has served as the Forrest County Deputy Coroner for a few years and has a medical background of being a hospice nurse and a licensed practical nurse. She says that she is grateful for everyone who voted for her and that one of her goals if elected will be to continue to extend the care families need during times of grief.

“It’s not [just] about the death, it’s about the families,” Klem said. “Whatever they need, we just stay there and wait for them too. If they just want to be there by themselves, we stand by in case they do need us.

That’s my goal and to just continue serving the citizens of Forrest County.”

Hogan and Howell will be in run-off elections, which will be on Aug. 29. The winner of the run-offs and Klem will be in the general election in November.

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